| 摘要 |
Two optical waveguides comprising a light transmitting medium are disposed close to each other on a substrate, and electrodes are disposed parallel to each other so as to sandwich one optical waveguide. The light transmitting medium is formed by dispersing fine droplets of a liquid crystal in a light transmitting material, such as glass or polymer, the liquid crystal fine droplets having droplet diameters of about one digit smaller (that is, about an order of magnitude smaller) than the wavelength of light. Linearly polarized light having a plane of polarization in a direction parallel to the direction of application of voltage to the optical waveguide, i.e., in the direction of the substrate surface, is fed as input lights into the optical waveguides. Upon application of voltage, the refractive index of one optical waveguide changes, while the refractive index of the other optical waveguide remains unchanged. Hence, the coupling ratio changes, achieving an optical switch. Thus, the present invention can provide a practical optical processing method which utilizes the large refractive index anisotropy and the low-voltage response of a liquid crystal, and a waveguide type optical device which can be used preferably for this method.
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